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Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited troops deployed at Line of Control (LoC) on Monday, Pakistan's 70th anniversary of Independence, and lauded the motivation and spirit of the troops, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) handout said.

Gen Bajwa was briefed about recent ceasefire violations across the LoC and the response of Pakistani troops to cross-border firing, the statement by the army's media wing said.

He said that there was no better way to celebrate independence than by defending the country.

"Indian atrocities have not been able to deter the spirit" of the brave Kashmiris in India-held Kashmir, the COAS stated, vowing to stand by them in their struggle.

Gen Bajwa was received by Commander Rawalpindi Corps, Lieutenant General Nadeem Raza on his arrival.

Earlier, Pakistan Rangers officials presented sweets to Indian Border Security Force personnel at the Wagah Border to celebrate the independence day. General Bajwa also hoisted the largest national flag in the history of Pakistan at the Wagah Border.

The LoC that splits the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir between nuclear armed India and Pakistan has been regularly witnessing cross border shelling for quite some time that has left scores of civilian dead or wounded in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK).

According to officials, as many as 24 civilians living along the LoC in AJK have lost their lives to India’s “unprovoked and indiscriminate shelling” since January this year, while the number of injured is more than 165.